Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 06/01/2017 One thing readers have come to know about Louise Trapeze is that she desperately wants to be seen as grown up—she’s seven years old, after all. Previous titles have broached bravery, responsibility, and heroics, but this newest installment tackles some of the confusion that accompanies getting older. Louise is 96 percent excited that her circus troupe is performing in Teeny Tiny Town, but she’s also feeling 4 percent mixed-up on account of her first loose tooth. Scared that it will be a bloody, painful affair, she keeps her wiggly tooth a secret, but Madame Fortuna’s prediction that Louise will lose something—she has been losing a great many things since coming to Teeny Tiny Town, actually—sends the little trapeze artist into a panic. Ostow has written another relatable story that will resonate with kids who feel conflicted about, or maybe a little bit scared of, growing up. Louise’s concerns are on point, as is a reassuring message about the help and support friends can supply. As usual, Barrager enlivens Louise’s ordeal with whimsical two-toned illustrations. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.